Achievement motivation or the need for achievementis the psychological drive to excel, a social form of motivation to perform at a high level of competence. It is sometimes abbreviated to N Ach or nAch. Usually this is understood to mean competing in socially valued activities where achievement can be recognised and given appropriate recognition either by the group of internally by the performer.

The term need for achievement was first introduced by Henry Murray in 1938 in his book "Explorations of Personality" where he used it in the sense of overcoming obstacles or being regularly willing to take on difficult tasks. The term achievement motivation has been the preferred term more recently.

According to Atkinson and Feather(1966) the achievement motive is conceived as a latest disposition which is manifested in overt striving only when the individual perceives performance as instrumental to a sense of personal accomplishment.

According to Irving Sarnoff (Mangal, 1989) Achievement motive is defined in terms of the way an individual orients himself towards objects or conditions that he does not possess. if he values those objects and conditions, and he feels that ought to possess them he may be regarded as having an achievement motive.